Exploring the ‘Antebellum Capitol of Ga.’

Taking a trolley tour through town on “Milly,” exploring the Governor’s Mansion, which was the home of eight governors, and going on house tours are just a few of the reasons for a visit to Milledgeville.

Known as the “Antebellum Capitol of Georgia,” Milledgeville is a perfect Southern town for a weekend get-away. It offers attractions that are both fun and educational. There will be something for everyone--from the kids to the parents to the grandparents.
On a recent trip, we started out with a trolley tour with Milledgeville Historic Trolley Tour, which gave us a great overview of the area. Sara, our guide, had lots of history and interesting facts to share with us.

We also spent several hours touring the Governor’s Mansion, which was built in 1839 in the Greek Revival style for $50,000.

The Governor’s Mansion has been a house museum since 1996 and has undergone a $9.5 million restoration. 15,000 visitors a year tour the mansion, which is located within one block from downtown.

Home tours you want to include on your visit are the Brown-Stetson-Sanford House, which features a beautiful spiral staircase in the central hall, and Rose Hill and Lockerly Aboretum, a Greek Revival home.

Visitors can tour the home of Sallie Davis, an African American educator who opened her home to students from rural areas.

A highlight of my visit to Milledgeville was my stay at Soho Lofts, located in the heart of downtown at 101 South Wayne Street.

The building that houses Soho Lofts was constructed in 1890 and was originally a bank. When Kim and Joseph Martin purchased it, the building had been vacant for 10-plus years and was in pretty bad shape. The renovation of the building was complete in October 2014.
The building is zoned for mixed use, there are retailers on the first floor and Soho Lofts is located in four apartments on the second floor for guests wanting to stay downtown and for extended stays.

The Martins have an apartment in the Soho section of New York City. They named the apartments in Soho Lofts to represent the Soho area of New York due to the resemblance in architectural style.

The Martins also ownsthe Antebellum Inn, bed and breakfast located near downtown. I had friends staying there and we joined them for breakfast, which was delicious. It was a great way to start the day before heading out to explore Milledgeville.

A few great dining options we enjoyed in Milledgeville were Amici, Local Yolkal Café and The Brick.

For more information, visit www.visitmilledgeville.org.

Angela Gary is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers Inc. She can be reached at AngieEditor@aol.com.